What is politics? 13determining who holds the power to change policy directly or by signaling to policy
makers which options have public support.
Another important element of politics is the web of rules and procedures that
determines who has the power to make choices about government policy. These rules
range from the requirement that the president must be born a U.S. citizen, to the rules
that structure debates and voting in the House and the Senate, to the procedures for
approving new federal regulations. Seemingly innocuous rules can have an enormous
impact on what can or does happen, which means that choices about these rules are
actually choices about outcomes. The ability to determine political rules empowers the
people who make those choices.Politics Is Everywhere
Even though most Americans have little interest in politics, most of us encounter it
every day. When you read the newspaper, watch television, go online, or listen to the
radio, you’ll almost surely encounter a political story. When you are walking down the
street, you may see billboards, bumper stickers, or T-shirts advertising a candidate,
a political party, an interest group, or an issue position. Someone may ask you to sign
a petition. You may walk past a homeless person and wonder whether a winning
candidate followed through on her promise to help. You may glance at a headline about
violence in the Middle East and wonder if America should be sending in troops.
Many people have an interest in putting politics in front of us on a daily basis.
Interest groups, political parties, and candidates work to raise public awareness of the
political process and to shape what people know and want. Moreover, the news media
offer extensive coverage of elections, governing, and how government policies affect
ordinary Americans. Through efforts like these, politics really is everywhere.
Politics is also a fundamental part of how Americans think about themselves. Virtually
all of us can name our party identification (Democrat, Republican, or Independent)^14 and
can place our views on a continuum between liberal and conservative.^15
Politics is everywhere in another important way, too: actions by the federal
government touch virtually every aspect of your life. Figure 1.1 shows a time line
for a typical college student on a typical day. As you can see, from the moment thisI’ll let you write the substance,
you let me write the procedure,
and I’ll screw you every time.—John Dingell7:30 Wake up in dorm funded by federal program.
8:00 Eat cereal regulated by Food and Drug Administration.
8:15 Get dressed in clothing subject to import tariffs and regulations.
8:30 Read weather reports that use data from the National Weather Service.
9:00 Check e-mail using Internet developed with federal funding.
10:00 Drive to school in car whose design is shaped by federal regulations.
10:30 Drive past post office, military recruitment office, and environmental cleanup site.
11:00 Attend lecture by professor whose research receives federal funding.
4:00 Ride home from school on federally subsidized mass transit.
7:30 Pay bursar bill using federally funded student loan.
8:00 Call friend on cellular network regulated by the Federal Communications Commission.
10:00 Watch TV program on station that has federal license.FIGURE
1.1Government
in a Student’s
Daily LifeOn a typical day, the government plays
a critical role in a student’s daily life
through federal programs, regulation,
and spending. In addition to what is
listed here, in what other aspects of
your life does government play a part?Full_02_APT_64431_ch01_002-029.indd 13 16/11/18 1:35 PM